Ignition timer structure



A. A. KENT.

IGNITION TIMER STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1920.

1,385,626. Patented July 26, 1921.

2 ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR ATWATER KENT, OF ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IGNITION TIMER STRUCTURE.

Application filed April 16, 1920. Serial No. 374,264.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR ATWATER KENT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Ardmore, county of Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Timer Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for tim ing the ignition of an internal combustion motor, and more particularly to means for manually advancing or retarding the ignition.

My invention relates to the structure of an arm or lever for rotating or changing the angular position of the cam operated member of the interrupter or timer mechanism with respect to the. engine driven cam on cam shaft, the arm or lever being formed of, preferably stamped from, sheet metal and comprising in addition to the arm or lever member proper a clamping member for holding the same in operative relation to the base of the interrupter structure and in any suitable adjusted position thereon.

My inventionresides further in a structure of the character referred to involving further features and details hereinafter described.

For an illustration of one of the forms my invention may take, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of timer structure embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the lower part of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the arm or lever proper-.

Fig. 4 1s a perspective view of the co-acting clamping member.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational View of the base or supporting member of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, 1 is a base member upon which are carried the interrupter or timer contacts, generally controlling the primary circuit of an induction coil, whose secondary delivers high tension energy for production of sparks within the motor cylinders.

In the example illustrated the arm 2, car:

ried by the'base 1 carries the movable interrupter contact, wh

ose rear end is indicated at 3. The arm 2 is actuated by the cam 4 to cause periodic engagement and separation of the interrupter contacts, as well understood in the art. The cam 4 is rotated by the usual cam shaft 5 extending downwardly through the base 1 and having a bearing Within the cylindrical neck 6 extending downwardly from the base 1 and loosely fitting 1n a cylindrical hole in the support 7 through a wall of which is threaded a screw 8 extend ng into the circumferential groove 9 in the member 6 for retaining the member 6 and base 1 against longitudinal movement with respect to the support 7, but allowing rotatlon or angular adjustment of the member 6 and base 1 with respect to support 7. The cam shaft is driven through suitable mechanical connections by the tongue or lug 10, Fig. 2, disengageably connected, in well known manner, with a member or shaft driven by and rotating in definite relation with respect to the crank shaft of the motor.

Upon the cam shaft may be provided the head 11 having an offset slot 12 for receiving a rib upon the distributer, not shown, co-acting with the stationary distributer terminals generally carried by a cap, not shown, which cap, however, may be secured to the base 1 by the spring hooks 13.

For purposes of advancing or retarding the ignition sparks as regards the instants in the engine cycle at which they occur, the base 1 is rotated or angularly adjusted about the axis of the cam shaft, thereby advancing or delaying the instant at which the cam 4 causes separation of the timer or interrupter contakcts, and consequent production of a s ar To this end I provide the arm or lever 14, preferably of sheet metal, as sheet steel, and preferably stamped from a sheet of steel or equivalent material. It has formed there in a circular recess 15 whose diameter corcord with the part of the base 1 at which it may be formed.

The lever 14 has limbs 17 spaced from each other by an extent suflicient to allow the lever to embrace the member having therein the groove 16, and of length sufficient to extend beyond the grooved member; at their ends the limbs 17 have the downwardly bent or extending lugs 18 which are preferably inclined to the vertical, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Co-acting with the lever or arm 14 is the clamping member 19, also preferably stamped from sheet steel or equivalent material, and comprising the downwardly extending lug or flange structure 20 and the tongue 21, substantially at right angles thereto, having in its free end a circular recess 22 of a diameter corresponding substantially with the diameter at the bottom of the groove 16.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the tongue 21 is in the Plane of arm 14 and at its free end extends into the groove 16, while the lug 20 engages the lugs 18, into which latter are threaded the screws 23 extending through holes 24 in the lug or flange 20.

By drawing up on the screws 23 the lever 14 and the tongue 21 are drawn toward each other in the groove 16 and firmly clamped at the bottom of groove 16 to the member 6 or other member in which the groove is formed.

To insure that the tongue 21 shall engage the bottom of the groove 16, and further to allow slight resiliency between the lever 14 and clamping member 19, the lugs 18 and 20 extend at slightly different angles, whereby, as shown in Fig. 1, they engage each other at their lower ends and when the screws 23 are tightened, the lugs 18 and 20 spring or yield slightly with respect to each other, nevertheless insuring the inner end of tongue 21 firmly engaging the bottom of the groove 16.

The lever and clamping member are accordingly firmly clamped in the groove 16 and with firmness amply suflicient to cause rotation or angular adjustment of the base 1, and so effect advance or retardation of the ignition sparks, when the lever 14 is rotated or angularly adjusted, as it may be by any suitable mechanical connection made thereto at the hole 25 therein.

The arm structure is adjustable about the base 1 or neck 6 by loosening the clamping member and again tightening the screws 23 when the lever 14 has been adjusted to asuitable angular position. Such angular adjustment of the arm 14 with respect to the base 1, without, however, rotating or adjusting the base 1 with respect to the cam 4,

is often desirable or essential; and the structure described lends itself to that end.

Suitably to limit the extent of rotation or angular adjustment of the timer structure carried by the base 1, lugs or stops 26 are provided upon the support 7, and into the interspace between said lugs extends the tongue or lug 27 extending downwardly from the lever 14, and preferably stamped or struck therefrom.

What I claim is:

1. An ignition timer arm adapted to be clamped to an angularly adjustable member of ignition timing apparatus comprising a lever arm of sheet metal, and lug structure thereon for clamping said lever arm gdgewise to said angularly adjustable mem- 2. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base angularly adjustable thereon and having a circumferential groove, timer structure carried. by said base and angularly adjustable therewith for advancing or retarding ignition, and means for adjusting said base comprising a sheet metal arm, and means for clamping the same edgewise to said base in said groove.

3. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base angularly adjustable thereon, timer structure carried by said base and angularly, adjustable therewith for advancing or retarding ignition, and means for adjusting said base comprising a sheet metal arm, means'for clamping the same edgewise to said base, stops on said support, and a lug struck from said arm co-acting with said stops.

4. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base angularly adjustable thereon and having a circumferential groove, timer structure carried by said base and angularly adjustable therewith for advancing or retarding ignition, and means adjusting said base comprising a sheet metal arm, means for clamping the same edgewise to said base in said groove, stops on said support, and a lug struck from said arm coacting with said stops.

5. An ignition timer arm adapted to be clamped to an angularly adjustable member of ignition timing apparatus comprising a lever arm of sheet metal, a oo-acting clamping member adapted to engage said angularly adjustable member, co-acting lug structures on said lever arm and said clamping member, and means for securing said lug structures to each other for clamping said lever arm edgewise to said angularly adjustable member.

6. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base angularly adjustable thereon, a neck on said base having a circumferential groove, timer structure carried by said base and angularly adjustable there with for advancing or retarding ignition, and means for adjusting said base comprising a sheet metal arm, and means for clamping the same edgewise to said neck in said groove.

7. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base angularly adjustable thereon, timer structure carried by said base and angularly adjustabletherewith for advancing or retarding ignition, and means for adjusting said base comprisin a sheet metal arm, lugs on said arm exten ing at an angle thereto, a clamping member between which and said arm said base is clamped, said clamping member comprising a tongue engaging said base, and means integral with said tongue secured to said lugs.

8. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base angularly adjustable there on and having a circumferential groove, timer structure carried by said base and angularly adjustable therewith for advancing or retarding ignition, and means for adjusting said base comprising a sheet metal arm engaging in said groove, a clamping member having a tongue engaging in said groove, lugs on said arm and said clamping member extending at an angle to said arm and.

said tongue, and means for securing said lugs to each other. I

9. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base 'angularly adjustable thereon, timer structure carried by said base and angularly adjustable therewith for advancing or retarding ignition, and means for adjusting said base comprising a sheet metal arm having limbs between which said base is received, lugs on the ends of said limbs extending at an angle to said arm, a clamping member having a tongue engaging said base between the limbs of said arm, and lug structure on said tongue secured to the lugs on said arm.

- 10. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base angularly adjustable thereon and having acircumferential groove, timer structure carried by said base and 'angularly adjustable therewith for advancing or retarding ignition, andmeans for adjusting said base comprising 'a sheet metal arm having limbs between which said arm extends into said groove, lugs on the ends of said limbs extending at an angle to saidarm, a clamping member having 'a tongue extending between said limbs into said groove, and lug structure on said tongue secured to the lugs on said arm.

11. Ignition timer structure comprising a support, a base angularly adj ust-able thereon, timer structure carried by said base and angularly adjustable therewith for advancing or retarding ignition, and means for adjusting said base comprising a sheet metal arm, lugs on said 'arm extending at an angle thereto, a clamping member between which and said arm said base is clamped, said clamping member comprising a tongue, lug structure on said tongue extending at an angle thereto different from the angle between said lugs and said arm, whereby said lug structure and said lugs engage each other at 'a distance from the plane of said arm, and means for securing said lug structure and lugs to each other.

12. A timer adjusting arm comprising a sheet metal member having limbs between which is formed a recess, lugs on said limbs extending at an angle to the plane of said member, a cooperating clamping member having a tongue substantially in the plane of said member and'extending into said recess, and lug structure on said tongue for attachment to the lugs on said member.

13. A timer adjusting arm comprising a sheet metal member having limbs between which is formed a recess whose inner end is circular, lugs on said limbs extending at an angle to the plane of said member, a cooperating clamping member having a tongue substantially in the plane of said member and extending into said recess, lug structure on said tongue for attachment to the lugs on said member, and the free end of said tongue having a circular recess concentric with the circular end of the recess in said arm.

14. A timer adjusting arm comprising a sheet metal member having limbs between which is formed a recess, lugs on said limbs extending at an angle to the plane of said member, a cooperating clamping member having a tongue substantially in the plane of said member and extending into said recess, lug structure on said tongue for attachment to the lugs on said member, and a lug upon said member for limiting angular movement thereof.

15. A timer adjusting arm comprising a sheet metal member having limbs between which is formed a recess whose inner end is circular, lugs on said limbs extending at an angle to the plane of said member, a cooperating clamping member having a tongue substantially in the plane of said member and extending into said recess, lug structure on said tongue for attachment to the lugs on said member, the free end of said tongue having a circular recess concentric with the circular end of the recess-in said arm, and a lug upon said member for limiting angular movement thereof.

16. A timer adjusting arm comprising a sheet metal member having limbs between which is formed a recess, lugs on said limbs extending at an angle to the plane of said member, a cooperating clamping member having a. tongue substantially in the plane of said member and extending into said recess, and lug structure on said tongue disposed at a small angle with respect to the lugs on said member, said lug structure and said lugs engaging each other at a distance from the plane of said tongue and said men ber.

17. A timer adjusting arm comprising a sheet metal member having limbs between which is formed a recess, lugs on said limbs extending substantially at right angles to the plane of said-member, a cooperating clamping member having a tongue substantially in the plane of said member and extending into said recess, and lug structure for attachment to the lugs on said member, said lug structure engaging said lugs at a distance from the plane of said member and forming a small angle with said lugs.

18. A timer adjusting arm comprising a sheet metal member having limbs between which is formed a recess, lugs on said limbs extending at an angle to the plane of said member, and clamping screws engaging in member, and a lug upon said 'arm for limit- 1 ing movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature thls 14th day of April, 1920.

ARTHUR ATWA'lER KENT. 

